RESUMO

Schwann cells (SCs) in culture, without the presence of axons, become de-differentiated, reaching a condition similar to that of their precursor cells. The cytoplasmic accumulation of transferrin (Tf) in the myelinated peripheral nerve has been reported and data in the literature support a role for apoTf in myelination in the CNS. In the present report, we used SC cultures to evaluate the capacity of apoTf and holoTf to prevent cell de-differentiation promoted by fetal calf serum deprivation. SCs incubated in a serum-free medium showed a decrease in the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP) and P(0), markers of mature myelin-forming SCs, together with an increase in the levels of p75NTR and glial fibrillary acidic protein, markers of immature SCs. Treatment with holoTf prevented the decrease in expression of MBP and P(0) and the increase in p75NTR. ApoTf was unable to prevent these changes except when iron was added to the cultures. These results suggest a role for holoTf in the regulation of myelin formation by SCs.

Assuntos

Diferenciação Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Células de Schwann/efeitos dos fármacos , Transferrina/farmacologia , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Western Blotting , Diferenciação Celular/fisiologia , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Células Cultivadas , Meios de Cultura , Proteína Glial Fibrilar Ácida/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteína Glial Fibrilar Ácida/metabolismo , Imuno-Histoquímica , Ferro/farmacologia , Proteína Básica da Mielina/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteína Básica da Mielina/metabolismo , Proteína P0 da Mielina/efeitos dos fármacos , Proteína P0 da Mielina/metabolismo , Ratos , Receptor de Fator de Crescimento Neural , Receptores de Fator de Crescimento Neural/efeitos dos fármacos , Receptores de Fator de Crescimento Neural/metabolismo , Células de Schwann/citologia , Células de Schwann/metabolismo , Transferrina/metabolismo